CLARKSVILLE - A recently completed drainage project for the city of Clarksville that runs directly through the middle of Oakland Cemetery has cemetery board members concerned about the effects of the project on the appearance and upkeep of the burial grounds.

Board members present at Monday's city council meeting said they are worried the soil and grass placed in the middle of the cemetery following the completion of the project are not appropriate for the area, causing water to stand instead of drain into newly placed drop inlets.

"When it rains, all the surface water runs down the middle of the ditch line, not into the drop inlets," Ron Taylor, board member, said. "That results in standing water anytime it rains.

"The roadway that was in place before the project began contained a considerable amount of rock and gravel over red clay. The dirt that has replaced it is strictly red clay. When we get heavy rains, it's impossible to drive with a two-wheel-drive vehicle.

"The road is heavily used by patrons of the cemetery, and we really need to have that road passable again."

Taylor said the current condition of the soil around the drainage project makes maintenance on the area difficult and has a negative affect on the appearance of the area.

John Payne, board president, said samples of the soil were sent to the University of Arkansas' Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service for testing.

Payne said the soil was too acidic for bermuda grass to properly grow in the area. Without a proper covering of grass, he said, drainage will continue to be a problem. Payne said the problem could be corrected by applying lime to the area and allowing the lime to change the soil's acidity.

Alderman Mark Simpson said lime was spread over the area, although it probably has not had enough time to affect the soil yet.

Another problem, Taylor said, is that the grade of the slope leading to the drop inlets is not steep enough for water to flow into the inlets properly.

"The drop inlets are against the hillside, and the surface water is impeded by the velocity of water running north to south," Taylor said. "If we get a two- or three-inch rain, it will erode that area back into a ditch. Something needs to be done to address that.

"There is such a limited amount of drop. If the grade was changed, the water would run into the drops with or without the grass."

Alderman John Pledger made a motion to test another sample of soil in a few days to see if more lime needs to be added to the area. He also said gravel should be added to the roadway to make it driveable and the grade around the area should be inspected again to allow the water to drain correctly into the drop inlets.

The motion was approved unanimously by the council.

In other business, the council approved a request from the First United Methodist Church to close the portion of Central Street from Sevier Street to Taylor Street on Aug. 1.

The council approved the closing of the one-block portion of the street in 2003, when the church made its initial request. The church is in the process of constructing a Family Life Center and renovating an office building as well as its current facility.

The ordinance stated the street would be closed when the church was granted a building permit. Although the permit will be issued before Aug. 1, church officials said demolition will not begin until that date.

Aldermen also approved the paying of invoices for costs above those listed in the contract of Phase II of the drainage project and the paying of invoices for inspections for the drainage project.

The council also approved the payment of $172,177 from the general street fund for the Crawford Street overlay project.